Micro electromechanical system (MEMS) switches are used in many applications. In one embodiment, the switch is a miniature acceleration switch which may be a single pole, single throw switch. The switch may be normally open or normally closed. Additionally, the switch may be hermetically sealed and may be momentary or latching. The switch is MEMS scale or near MEMS scale, meaning that the devices are very small, merging at or near the nano-scale into nanoelectromechanical systems or near nanoelectromechanical systems. MEMS scale is illustrated in FIG. 10.
Because of the ultraminiature size of MEMS devices, intricate manufacturing techniques are utilized to fabricate these devices. The prior art indicates that wafer fabrication technology and photolithographic technology are used to produce MEMS scale devices, making the initial production or development of such MEMS devices extremely expensive. Moreover, MEMS devices produced by these production methods are not amenable to configuration changes in device design or provide the ability to economically manufacture small numbers of different configurations of MEMS devices.
There is a need for MEMS devices and methods for manufacturing MEMS devices without the shortcomings of the prior art.